West Buechel – Brazen Illegality

On Friday Rick Richards, Mayor of West Buechel, released a list of checks the City had issued during the month of August, 2016. One of these checks was in the amount $10,350, for “Legal Services – Admin,” but the name of the payee was intentionally omitted ( “xxxxx” ).

In a breathtaking display of bluff, bluster and bravado last night, Mayor Richards and his two primary co-conspirators, City Clerk-Treasurer Kim Richards and Mayor Richards’ long time personal attorney (who is also City Attorney), John Casey McCall, stonewalled the West Buechel City Council and refused to disclose to whom and for what purposes this $10,350 check was issued.

Richards’ plan of bamboozlement hinges upon an erroneous assertion that a city’s settlement of legal claims against it can be kept secret, even from the City Council. Under Kentucky Open Records law, such use of public funds is not exempt from disclosure and will not remain hidden for long.

Given the amount of the check, in excess of $10,000, if there is anything significantly crooked about the secret payment, it might easily be classified as a Class C Felony.